Feed your brain

Did you know that what you eat might be able to increase your brain power? Thousands of you across the country are now probably poised over text books desperately trying to remember how to work out the area of a circle or the biological name of the commonest common frog. Let's not panic if things don't readily pop into mind. Here's a few opf you food tips.

Fishy is good
We all know that a healthy diet helps us with our physical condition, but did you know it can help you mentally as well? Eating two portions of oily fish, like tuna, mackerel and salmon every week is vital for your brain to function properly because they're high in essential omega-3 acids. A regular portion of fish in your diet has been proven to increase levels of concentration and intelligence perfect for exam time.

Rise and shine
Although it's tempting to spend an extra few minutes in bed before that maths exam, making yourself get up and eat breakfast is one of the best things you can do to give your brain a boost.

Cereals that are high in vitamin B do the trick, but best of all, a good bacon sarnie can improve your performance throughout the day because it's high in protein but go easy on the ketchup!

Increase your iron
If you're not getting enough iron then you'll damage your ability to concentrate for long periods of time and your energy levels will begin to drop. If hour long sessions of revision are proving too much, try eating more red meat, eggs and leafy green vegetables like spinach.

Your study time should then feel a lot more productive and you'll be less likely to fall asleep in your actual exam when you're planning that mammoth Shakespeare essay.

An apple a day
Five portions of fruit and veg a day as part of a good diet is important for lots of reasons. It can reduce the risk of heart attacks and developing cancer, and can help maintain a healthy weight. But if you're studying at the moment, the best news is that it stops your brain cells getting damaged, meaning you can remember more of those complicated science formulas.

If you're finding this hard, try substituting your fizzy lunchtime drink with a glass of orange juice or replacing crisps with bananas or apples. As well as being much healthier, this will make it much easier to increase the amount of fruit you eat.

Calm your nerves
Finally, if pre-exam nerves are stopping you sleeping the night before the big day, try and introduce lighter foods like warm milk, turkey or lettuce to your evening meal. As well as stopping you getting so nervous, foods like this helps your body wind down in the evening and will stop you worrying about the next day's question paper.

Exam time can be an incredibly stressful period, but if you're finding yourself getting worked up and stressed, a few changes in your diet may make you feel a lot more relaxed and confident about the trials ahead. Good luck!

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of World and Millions of people flock to the Taj Mahal in Indian city of Agra every year to have a glimpse of the tomb which a Mughal emperor made for his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Taking inspiration from the popularity of Taj a Bangladeshi man has created replica of Taj in Bangladesh.

A life-size replica of the Taj Mahal, often described as the world's most beautiful building, is due to open for visitors in Bangladesh.
The replica has been built by a Bangladeshi filmmaker.

Ahsanullah Moni said he wanted his countrymen to experience the beauty of the Indian monument even if they were too poor to travel to see the original.

The 17th Century Taj was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal.

The emperor is buried next to his queen in the monument in the northern Indian city of Agra, which is visited by millions every year.

The $58m (£39m) replica has been built in Sonargaon, a small town in the Bangladeshi countryside.

Bangladesh debating council
5th -Pre worlds Schools debating

20th to 22nd November 2008, was not another ordinary weekend. At least not for the English debating community of Bangladesh.

These three days of frantic debating at the E.S.S. Dhanmondi campus helped to choose the 5(out of 150) debaters who would form “team Bangladesh” at the World School's Debating championship 2009.

After the 6 compulsory rounds of debating, 16 teams were chosen to enter the Octo-finals, the results of which were announced at the end of a “haunted carnival” themed disco. Out of a total of 50 teams, Oxford-1, BIT-1, Scholastica-1 and Manarat-1 made it to the semis, from where BIT and Manarat were chosen finalists.

The finals taking place at the Samaraii convention center, in the presence of chief guest, Kazi Aminul Islam, secretary to the chief advisor, people's Republic of Bangladesh, Prof. Nurul Islam and Mr.ranadev Dasgupta, headmaster and club moderator of ESS respectively, turned out to be the grandest closing pre-world's had ever experienced.

After the final round of debate, the results were announced by the man without whom going to the Worlds' would have remained a dream for BD debaters---Mr.Rashedul Hasan Stalin, Chairperson, Bangladesh debating council. The grand trophy went to Bangladesh International tutorial(BIT).

The evening ended with a prize giving ceremony, and a lavish Chinese buffet, and it left all debaters hoping that “Team Bangladesh” would go even further this year to show the World what BD-debaters were all about!!

By Faria Ahmed

Down with music

Maybe this is why they don't teach music in high school any more. Following are actual answers from students on music tests...

* The principal singer of nineteenth century opera was called pre-Madonna.
* Gregorian chant has no music, just singers singing the same lines.
* Sherbet composed the Unfinished Symphony.
* All female parts were sung by castrati. We don't know exactly what they sounded like because there are no known descendants.
* Young scholars have expressed their rapture for the Bronze Lullaby, the Taco Bell Cannon, Beethoven's Erotica, Tchaikovsky Cracknutter Suite, and Gershwin's Rap City in Blue.
* Music sung by two people at the same time is called a duel; if they sing without music it is called Acapulco.
* A virtuoso is a musician with real high morals.
* Contralto is a low sort of music that only ladies sing.
* Probably the most marvelous fugue was the one between the Hatfields and the McCoys.
* I know what a sextet is but I'd rather not say.
* Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a great many musical compositions and had a large number of children. In between he practiced on an old spinster which he kept up in his attic.
* Rock Monanoff was a famous post-romantic composer of piano concerti.

Haven't you always wished you lived in a world free
Of illiteracy and poverty?
Stand up, speak up and help a child dying of starvation.
Come together and help the United Nations.
Doesn't matter if you follow Buddha or Jesus,
We must unite to combat HIV/AIDs and other deadly diseases.
A child deserves a normal life when he's younger,
Not a life deprived of education and extreme hunger.
Feed the needy, be charitable; There is no formality.
There must be a cease to gender inequality.
We should work to our full potential and ability,
With a little bit of effort, achieve environmental stability.
Develop a global partnership for development and abolish unfair trade,
Let's feed the poor and give them some aid.
Get on the bandwagon and stand together for unity is wealth,
We can rid the world of infant mortality and improve maternal health.
We must stand our ground, be brave and dedicated
Therefore, poverty and other such miseries will be eradicated.
Let's support the United Nations and help them achieve their Millennium Development goals,
Maybe you can help save a soul.

By Shawkeen Safwan Siddiquey